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Car companies love to slap their brands on bikes, and this new trio of Porsche e-bikes only adds to it. Blackheart Bike Co. has a neat-looking titanium gravel bike that fits right into its simplicity-first ethos, while Rapha has dropped a new packable Gore-Tex jacket this week in tech.
Meanwhile, Prestacycle has added a new electronic tire pump. Tailwind adds a new grape-flavored Endurance hydration mix. Park Tool announced the winners of its Community Tool Grants. And as for Trek? They’ve released a slew of new Project One EnvironOxide signature colorways.
In no particular order, here’s what’s new this week in tech.
New Trek Project One colors pull its pigments from abandoned mine drainage
Trek has two programs worth celebrating here. First there’s Project One which lets you get exactly the bike you want, including color, without having to swap components just because it was cheaper for somebody to order it. It doesn’t cost extra to go this route if you just want to do something like pick a specific handlebar or gearing.
The second thing worth celebrating is that now some of the custom colors are available with EnvironOxide colors. The options include Moondust, Desert Mauve, and Mojave Red and the pigments for each one come from “Iron Oxide Recovery, Inc., a company that removes and recovers excess iron from contaminated waterways to create a wide range of products — including paint pigments.“
Not every bike is available through Project One and it’s not available in every market but if you are interested check the Trek website for more info. -JR
Porsche is the latest car company to launch odd-looking e-bikes
I don’t know if I should be typing that everything wrong in the world is contained in that headline or if it’s worth celebrating. Honestly this email shouldn’t have even come to me given I write about drop bar bikes. It did come to me though and I can’t seem to look away. I’m going to lean into more people on bikes is good, here’s more bikes.
Porsche apparently sells seven models of electric mountain bikes. Back in 2021, our sister site Pinkbike covered a press release for one of the bikes but no one seems to have reviewed it. I think it’s high time those guys ride a Porsche.
This news is about updates. That includes a fifth-generation bike and “numerous technical updates that expand the range of use – making the new generation accessible to both city rides as well as light trail rides. New to this model is the Fox Float 34 Performance Elite suspension fork with 120 millimeters of travel, ensuring sensitive responsiveness and control in rough terrain.
In addition to the technical updates on the eBike Sport, the Porsche eBike Cross, and Cross Performance are also receiving color updates.”
If you want to check what Porsche is offering, it’s available on the Porsche website. -JR
5Dev adds 155 and 160 mm length titanium cranks
5Dev has managed to hit the trifecta of bike nerd componentry with its expanded crank lineup. That means wild titanium construction, compatibility with any and every type of bottom bracket standard, and now, the addition of 155 and 160 mm crank lengths for everyone buying into the shorter is better mantra for crank lengths.
Like 5Dev’s other cranks, the 5Dev’s Road / Gravel / XC Titanium Cranks come in a titanium finish and with the ability to choose spindle length to match bottom bracket standards. The cranks use SRAM’s 8-bolt spider standard, meaning it is compatible with 5Dev’s own chainrings, or any SRAM bolt-on 1x or 2x chainring.
Want a crank for yourself? Get ready to empty your wallet to the tune of $1,199 for these manufactured in San Diego, CA cranks. See more at ride5dev.com. -AH
Blackheart drops a new titanium gravel bike
Truckee, CA-based Blackheart Bikes has dropped its newest frame dubbed the Blackheart Gravel Ti. Like its other bikes, there’s a bit of a sense of this Gravel Ti frame covering everything one might need in a good bike, with hardly any of the frills one might get elsewhere. That means a tire clearance for 700c x 47 mm tires, a SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH), a threaded T47 bottom bracket, access to Blackheart’s custom paint program, and an impressive nine-size range.
While there are certainly less expensive titanium frames out there, the Gravel Ti piques our interest as a thoroughly modern-looking frame with 3AL-2.5V titanium.
Pricing starts at $3,299 for a frameset, while complete bikes start at $5,199. Preorder starts now, with initial deliveries slated for May 2025. Find more at blackheartbikeco.com. -AH
Park Tool Announces Winners of Community Tool Grants
Sometimes we get to share feel-good stories that don’t require much more than giving a person or brand a pat on the back. This is one of those times.
Park Tool has a program that gives non-profits literal tools to help people. The brand shares that over the past 10 years, “$140,000 worth of tools to over 100 different organizations throughout the world.” This year the winners are BicyclesRecycle, Bike JC, Bikes for Refugees Scotland, Blackstone Bicycle Works, Get Women Cycling, Hawai’i Bicycling League, Kids in Motion, Second Chance Bicycle Shop, Velo Kids, and Velorecicla. Each winner will receive over $1,600 in Park Tool products including 1 Park Tool PK-5 Professional Mechanic Tool Kit, 2 Park Tool PCS-10.3 Portable Repair Stands, 5 Park Tool SA-1 Shop Aprons, and 1 Park Tool BBB-4 Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair.”
Sounds like there were, predictably, more entrants than winners but those who didn’t land a prize this year are “encouraged to reapply for 2026 when the application window opens in November.” -JR
Prestacycle adds a new electronic tire pump
Look around and you’ll likely see more and more of your riding buddies swapping mini pumps for electronic pumps. Prestacycle is getting into the game with its own electric pump. Smaller than the standard Fumpa pump, but larger than the mini Fumpa, Prestacycle claims a gravel tire can be inflated from empty to 35 PSI in 45 seconds, with enough battery for 7 gravel tires or 4 road tires.
The Prestacycle Prestaflator Go is USB-C rechargeable, can inflate at up to 120 PSI, and is priced at $119. See more at prestacycle.com. -AH
Rapha says its new Gore-Tex jacket is even lighter than Shakedry
Rapha has launched what is effectively the replacement of its Shakedry jacket. This new jacket–called the Rapha Pro Team Lightweight Gore-Tex Jacket–uses a GoreTex material that is PFAS-free but still promises to be highly water resistant and breathable. Further, Rapha says this new GoreTex jacket is seriously light, at just 128 grams claimed in a size medium.
This isn’t a jacket you’ll want to ride in all the time, but one that seems quite packable. But Rapha’s claims are true, this new packable jacket could be really interesting. Is it still interesting at its $390 asking price? We’ll leave that to you. Find more at rapha.cc. -AH
Tailwind adds Grape Endurance Fuel
I guess grape flavoring is the in flavor this year. Last week I shared that Skratch Labs added grape as a flavor and this week it’s Tailwind. I don’t know if I’m a fan of grape, I have both products coming for testing so I’ll find out soon, but I do know that both Skratch and Tailwind make excellent sports nutrition products.
The Tailwind Endurance fuel is one of my go to options for drinking calories instead of eating them. According to the brand that’s by design as “Tailwind Nutrition’s Endurance Fuel is designed to provide complete nutrition for endurance athletes, eliminating the need for gels, chews, or pills.”
Tailwind is also claiming that grape isn’t a new flavor. Apparently it was once a limited edition flavor and was loved enough that it’s coming back. If you want to try it out the price is $28.99 for 30-servings and you can get it on the Tailwind website or Amazon. -JR
Shimano adds to its S-Phyre clothing lineup with a new road lineup
Shimano’s dropping a whole bunch of new kit. The new kit–including a Shimano S-Phyre Leggera SS jersey and Legerra Bib Short in both men’s and women’s cuts–features a modern low-cut collar, laser cut sleeves, and what Shimano calls a “unique back yoke pattern that reduces wrinkles and smooths airflow.” Adding to the list is an S-Phyre Superlight Vest, which features a dual-direction zipper.
Not to be left behind, Shimano has also updated its non-S-Phyre lineup, with a men’s Distanza bib short, a women’s Eleganza jersey and bib short, and even a a new Shimano UX Urban Hoodie.
Shimano’s early iterations of its S-Phyre clothing were overwhelmingly racey, with cuts that seemed to be simultaneously baggy in some places and tight in others. Judging by our time in the Shimano Evolve Corsa cargo bib shorts, Shimano’s fit seems to have changed for the better
Whether you’re looking for Shimano’s top-end kit or a hoodie to match your Dura-Ace drivetrain, see more at ride.shimano.com. -AH
